Monday, 19 September 2011

Ryanair Vs Easyjet

They are the two biggest budget airlines in the UK, riding the wave of the no-frills airline movement for the last decade allowing anyone to travel almost anywhere for a nominal fee.

But, budget airlines are in the budget bracket for a reason. They provide you with the bare essentials and make the passenger do much of the work to avoid overheads and drive down costs.

So what are the main differences between these two juggernauts? Which airline scrimps the most and which offers the greatest level of overall comfort?

Both airlines fly from all of the major airports in the country so evens on that one, but in terms of flights from London Ryanair operates primarily out of Stanstead whilst Easyjet seems to have more of a share at Gatwick. For this reason, Easyjet takes a point here for operating from the more accessible, larger airport.

Inflight, both airlines provide very little in terms of comfort. No free magazines (apart from the airline's own), no complimentary food or drinks and no television or media. Food and drink can be purchased on-board but prices are heavily inflated. The seats are not what you would class as luxurious on either airline but they are sufficient for short-haul flights. Seats are free-for-all upon boarding so you may have to brace yourself for scrumming and elbows-at-dawn upon boarding! No winners here!

How about prices? Well, if we compare one popular flight we can see a noticeable difference here. The initial cost of a ticket to Belfast from London costs £54 with Easyjet whilst Ryanair charges a more conservative £44. But add in the extras such as taxes and booking charges and the total cost of the Ryanair ticket is nearly double the initial price at £85! Compare this to Easyjet's £63 and the winner here becomes clear. Easyjet wins this one with ease.

In conclusion, in comparing three vital factors, it is Easyjet that comes out as the winner primarily due to the fact that they charge their customers less. Flights with Easyjet can be found through a range of online providers but for the best prices go with a reputable firm.